We'll try
by Karly B
Summary: This are Ariadne's and Arthur's goodbyes after the Fischer job, is kind of sad, and it has fluff, so...
1. Chapter 1

Ariadne looked at the busy airport, checking the place where Cobb last stood, she wasn't surprised at seeing Miles there too, and she knew that even if he didn't show it, he was happy that his grandchildren had his father back.

_And now what?_ She thought to herself, she checked the envelope Arthur gave to her after leaving. A plane ticket to France for tomorrow, a pair of keys, her paycheck and a card that had, with a perfect handwriting, the name of a hotel, its address and a name: Marie Ross.

Ariadne turned around to the place where she last saw the team, Yusuf was still there complaining with a worker, Eames was already leaving giving Ariadne a little smile, she smiled back. Saito and Fischer were already gone, and Arthur was walking towards her, she knew that he wasn't really going to meet her; it was too dangerous for the team to be together now, so she started walking towards the exit. She almost asked for a taxi, but then she remembered the keys.

Heading to the parking lot, Ariadne thought how she was going to find the car, the parking lot was almost full and was quite big, so she took the keys out and pressed the alarm button. At her right a black mini cooper started to beep, she pressed the button again and head to the car.  
>She placed her luggage on the back seat and tried to get to the hotel with the GPS.<br>When she finally arrived, three men appeared to welcome her.  
>-Good day Madame, would you like help with your luggage? – She nodded and the man in suit said handing her bag to another man.<p>

-A courtesy drink? – He said, while the other man hand her a pink drink.

-Thanks. – She said shyly.

-Well welcome to the hotel, have a great stay. – The man said while he lead her toward the reception and then return to the entrance.  
>-Wow. – Was all she could say. The hotel was beautiful, modern but it had a lot of vintage details, even if it was surely a place for business men the hotel had a warm feeling to it.<br>Ariadne checked the card again, and saw something she didn't noticed, at the back of the card was a phone number, she read it but she didn't know who it was so she put the card back in place and checked in.

-At what name is the reservation made? – The lady said, Ariadne look at her astonished but then she remembered the card.  
>-Marie Ross. – Said Ariadne without hesitating more.<p>

-Perfect Ms. Ross, I'm afraid your husband hasn't arrived yet but we have your room ready. – She said with a warm smile, handing Ariadne the hotel card, she took it and turned away quickly.  
><em>A husband? Maybe she's got the wrong reservation….<em>

When Ariadne arrived to the room her luggage was already there, the room had the same theme too, with a king-sized bed in the middle, a desk in the corner, a TV on the middle and an amazing view was shown from a large balcony. But there was also a door in the middle, she got a shared room.

She felt curiosity immediately, so she went and open the door that only lead to a closed door, without knob.

-I think I already expected that. - She said taking her cell phone from her jacket, dialing the number on the back of the card.

_Beep…_

_Beep…_

-Come on. – She said under her breath

-_Marie! Have you already arrived to the hotel?_ _Is everything alright? _– Arthur said at the other side of the line.

-Mr. Ross hmm… Well yes everything is fine thank you, even though this is not really a place I would choose. – Ariadne said sitting on the bed, a faint smile on her lips.

-_I was really waiting for you to like it, but well I guess you'll pick the next one. Anyway love, I'm on my way. I'm just arranging some…business._ – Arthur said on a more low voice. _Love_? Oh right they were "married". He was surely with other people then and even when Ariadne knew this was all a back-story she felt a sudden warmth in her cheeks, she could she on the mirror in front of her the light blush appearing on her face. And it grew bigger when she started remembering what happened on the second level of the dream… How she blushed after they have kissed, just a little peck but still

-_Marie? – _Arthur asked.

-Uhmm… yeah, yeah. I guess I'll just…wait. – Ariadne said avoiding her image in the mirror.

-_Sure I'll see you later, so we can talk with calm, what about if you meet me at the hotel's restaurant at seven?_ – Arthur said on an elegant, gentle voice.

-I'll see you there…Bye. – Ariadne said shyly.

-_For now_. - Arthur said and hanged up.

-For now. – Ariadne said closing the cell phone. The clock said it was five o' clock. Two hours until she would meet Arthur again.

At least Ariadne knew what she was going to say. The kiss on the second level… was it just business? Because really, she thought the point man had better strategies in mind. Ariadne let a huge sigh escape and then she went to take a much needed shower.


	2. Am I a lover

Ariadne start playing with one of the strands of her hair, that she had arranged on an easy updo that left a few strands hanging lazily. She was wearing a wine color dress, the most formal thing she found on her suitcase, black heels, and a bit of makeup.

She had been waiting Arthur for ten minutes now, taking a few sips of her wine, she looked around to the other tables, they weren't a lot of couples, and the rest were business men talking on their phones or having a drink.

-Sorry for making you wait. – A voice said from behind her, Arthur, Ariadne turned back to see the tall man smiling lightly at her, he was dressed in one of his three piece suits as usual, and his hair gelled back perfectly.  
>-You are forgiven. - She said returning the smile and waiting for him to sit down. And just about Ariadne was going to say something the waitress arrived.<p>

-May I take your order? – She said looking at her.

-Ahmm, sure, I would like vegan lasagna please. – Ariadne said, then she and the waitress turned to Arthur.

- I'll take normal lasagna, thank you. - Arthur said handing the menus to the waitress. She nodded and walked away.

-Do we need to play or can we talk here? – Ariadne asked so low that just Arthur could hear her.

-Now we can, just beware of the waitress. – Arthur said, his face turning more serious. –How are you now, you went to limbo and back on your first job. – He said, worry on his eyes.

- I guess I'm just tired, and a bit shocked, but mostly I'm really relieved. – She said looking at him.

- Mind to explain yourself, for the shock and relief, I mean, being tired is completely normal especially in your situation. – He said.

-Well I'm relieved because we did it. And shocked…I killed Mal, well the projection of Mal. - Ariadne said pausing a little.

-Ariadne, what happened down there? – Arthur said getting closer to her. Ariadne felt a hint of betrayal towards Cobb but it was Arthur and in any case she needed to speak to someone about it, she needed a guide.

- After Mal shot Fischer and Cobb and I went to Limbo, we started searching for her, everything was…horrible, destroyed and when we finally found her, she tried to convince Cobb to stay, that if we wanted Fischer he needed to stay with her there. Then he admitted that it was his fault that she was dead. He incepted her with the idea that her world wasn't real, but the idea got out of control. Then Mal said to him that she'll forgive him if he stayed and Cobb accepted, she gave us Fischer then, I got really panicked but then Cobb said he wasn't staying because of her, he was staying because of Saito, and she went mad. She almost killed Cobb, but I shoot her. I killed her. – Ariadne said, remember everything brought tears to her eyes, but she fought them back, and succeeded. Arthur noticed though, and reached for her hand.

-You did the right thing Ariadne, everything went fine because of you, and don't worry, you killed her projection, she wasn't Mal, Cobb wished she was but he couldn't imagine her as she was. – Arthur said squeezing her hand.

- Cobb said something like that. – She said with a crooked smile. Then the waitress arrived with their food. Ariadne moved her hand back and Arthur didn't refuse to let go.

They started eating silently, but Ariadne remembered what she wanted to ask Arthur.

-Arthur, what happened on the second level…please don't tell me you really thought it was going to work. – She said making eye contact with him, she felt weird on asking, but she was dying to know, if it was just business or something more… Because when they kissed…it felt right, different. She felt how she blushed but she let that slip.

- I didn't thought it was going to work, I was sure it wasn't going to work, and I'm really sorry, it was stupid from my part and it would not happen again.- Arthur said, his body getting tense, and he broke the eye contact, she even saw a bit of blush.

-Then…you did want to kiss me, but why in a dream, why didn't you ask…- _Shit. _She thought, she knew she was pushing things too much but maybe she felt more than just affection, maybe she _wanted_ more.

- Because… things aren't supposed to be like that, Ariadne, I will love to work with you, and I thought that if we tried things would be weird, and in this business, things are dangerous. You know how many companies are searching for me right now, and well what happened to Mal and Cobb, seems just as bad. – He said with a perfect poker face, his eyes were actually sad, but she knew everything he said was true, she frowned and looked at the table, her hand turning to fists under the table.

-You are right, ha, what a masochist you are Arthur, I thought you always followed the rules. – Ariadne said mockingly, but she really meant it. He chuckled at her response and looked back at her.

- I've noticed that when I'm with you, I don't really give a damn about rules. – He said with a grin on his face, and Ariadne laughed.

-What are we doing Arthur? We just accepted nothing can happen between you and me and still here we are mocking each other… What are you doing here Arthur, why did you make me come here? - She said, and it hurt, inside her, she didn't want things to be this way, she wanted him.

- I wanted to check on you, I'm the point man, you are my responsibility, as I said returning to limbo is way more dangerous, and it has more repercussions. – Arthur said, his calm face returning and Ariadne just nodded and finished her lasagna.

They ended their dinner silently, Arthur pay to the waitress and they both head to their rooms, Ariadne noticed he started to act again when he grabbed her waist, she tried not to react to his touch but he noticed how she got tenser.

-You are in the room across mine aren't you? – She said when they were entering the elevator, Arthur let go her waist and nodded. She couldn't help but think on the second level again.

-Goodnight Ariadne. – Arthur said right before they reached her door. They both stopped and looked into each other's eyes; they were so near Ariadne could smell his cologne and feel his breathing on her face, he then looked at her pink lips. She stood on her tiptoes and gave him a peck on the lips. It was the least she could do, because she couldn't restrain herself anymore, but f she let herself loose, things would get worse.

She entered her room, and when she looked back to closes the door Arthur was still there, looking at her, his expression sad and tired. She closed the door, changed herself into her pajamas and went to sleep.

_-And now? Do you know what is to be a lover? – Mal asked to Ariadne, putting a knife next to her cheek._

_-I'm not a lover, I can't be a lover. – She answered, trying not to move, she felt her body tense when she felt Mal's breathing in her ear._

_-But you want to. – She said, taking the knife away from her cheek and quickly pulled it through her back. Ariadne wasn't sure if she screamed, but she saw how Mal walked towards her._

_-And you'll be one. – She whispered._

Ariadne woke up gasping for air, it felt like the first time she shared a dream, when Mal killed her too, but now Arthur wasn't there. She got out from the bed feeling dizzy she walked towards the door that connected the rooms and with shaky hands opened it.

The door was closed again so she knocked, cold sweat on her hands and face. But she sighed in relief when Arthur opened the door immediately. He was wearing simple pajamas, his hair messy and tired eyes, but he let Ariadne immediately, probably because of the look on her face.

-Ariadne? Wha- Before he could finish the sentence Ariadne dropped into his arm embracing him strongly, trying to calm her shivers and the tears that started forming. Arthur stiffened at first but then he hugged her back, stroking her hair slowly. They stayed like that for a while until Ariadne started sobbing lightly.

-Your plane leaves on five hours. Why don't you stay and try to sleep. – He said pulling a bit away, he wiped her tears away and lead her to the bed.

Arthur wrapped her under the sheets while he lay down on top of them, Ariadne never let go of his hand, and she fell asleep on his chest.

Arthur stayed awake a little bit more, seeing her sleep, and stroking her hair gently, he knew this was incredibly dangerous but right now he didn't care, he just wanted her to be there at least for tonight, to have a memory of her, so he could let go. He kissed the top of her hair breathing her in, and he fall asleep his head next to her.

Ariadne was the first one to wake up by the sunlight; she blinked a couple of times, her eyes tired of crying, she looked up to see Arthur right next to her, their foreheads touching, she started to pull away but then she noticed Arthur grabbing her waist with one arm. She sighed, Ariadne liked to be like this, she actually love it, but she knew it wasn't possible, that was something she have already decided especially after last night.

_-You'll be a lover. - _Maybe if things weren't this way, maybe she would gladly accept that fact. She stared at Arthur letting her fingers trace the little wrinkles of his face. _Why do I keep doing this? _She thought, and then she let her hand fall on his chest, she looked at him again and his eyes half opened then he smiled at her.

-Hi. – He said, bringing her closer.

-Do you remember that I called you a masochist? I think I was right, and I think I am too. – She said, she expected to him to let go but he gripped her stronger.

-It's nice. – He said grabbing her hand.

-It is, and it's late too. – She said squeezing his hand and trying to get out from his grip; Arthur let her go and got out from bed too.

Ariadne walked to her room to get her clean clothes and take a bath, as well as Arthur.

Later that morning they brought them breakfast, they both ate silently at the little kitchen of the hotel room. They didn't say a word.

Arthur couldn't stop looking at Ariadne while she packed, but she just ignored it. When they both got to Arthur's cars they still didn't speak.

_Always on time _Ariadne thought about Arthur when they got to the airport, he helped her with her luggage, and when he took her hand on his she didn't refuse, she even held it tighter.

Finally they got to her terminal, Ariadne got on her tiptoes and kissed Arthur one more time, she was afraid when he kissed her back, not that she didn't want to, just the opposite, she wanted him. But wasn't it enough what she dreamed last night? She couldn't become a lover.

-We are not even trying to stay away from each other. - She said, and she swear she could she realization hitting Arthur, the gleaming on his eyes turning off.

-We'll try harder. – He said. And she nodded. She will try harder.

-Goodbye Arthur. – Ariadne said, squeezing his hand, letting go.

She turned away, while she heard a little goodbye behind her. She walked slowly as if in any moment she would turn around, but she kept going until she reached the exit.

_Just one more glance, everything would be alright, because I will try. _She thought looking back where Arthur stood, he was still there looking calmly at her, she gave him a little smile which he returned and then get on the Airplane.

She returned to her apartment, everything just as she left it, she left her suitcase next to her bed and seating on the floor next to the large window looking out she wondered.

_I can't do this, I can't go back. I can't be a lover…or maybe I'm already one._


End file.
